Understanding the pesticide label

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Abstract

Pest problems occur in many different settings from agricultural to commercial and residential. Often a pesticide will be chosen as part of a management plan for pest control. If you choose to apply a pesticide, understanding the contents of the pesticide label is essential for the product's safe and effective use. The information on the pesticide label represents the research, development and registration that a pesticide must undergo before reaching the market at a cost of millions of dollars to the manufacturer. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) requires a manufacturer to submit data from numerous tests before that product's approval for use. The pesticide use information obtained in this process is referred to as the label or labeling, two similar words but with different meanings.